Category: Politics
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Vinay Prasad, key Makary ally and a focus of controversy at the FDA, is leaving the agency
Vinay Prasad, key Makary ally and a focus of controversy at the FDA, is leaving the agency WASHINGTON — Vinay Prasad, a top official at the Food and Drug Administration who has been at the center of recurring public controversies, is exiting the agency for a second time. Prasad will leave the FDA at the…
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STAT+: TrumpRx’s slow start
STAT+: TrumpRx’s slow start You’re reading the web edition of D.C. Diagnosis, STAT’s twice-weekly newsletter about the politics and policy of health and medicine. Sign up here to receive it in your inbox on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Mary Talley Bowden, who spent years in an expensive court battle with the Texas Medical Board over her license for…
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STAT+: Is RFK Jr. coming for your Dunkin’?
STAT+: Is RFK Jr. coming for your Dunkin’? AUSTIN, Texas — As Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ticked through a list of ways the Trump administration is trying to clean up the nation’s food supply before an appreciative Texas crowd last week, he previewed more to come, including potentially pulling certain ingredients from the…
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STAT+: Trump can’t break free from vaccine politics
STAT+: Trump can’t break free from vaccine politics You’re reading the web edition of D.C. Diagnosis, STAT’s twice-weekly newsletter about the politics and policy of health and medicine. Sign up here to receive it in your inbox on Tuesdays and Thursdays. And you may find yourself climbing a StairMaster next to RFK Jr. Send news tips and vague Talking…
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Autism researchers rebuke Kennedy, form independent advisory group
Autism researchers rebuke Kennedy, form independent advisory group A group of autism researchers and advocates announced Tuesday the formation of an independent advisory body that will develop a scientific agenda for the autism community. They hope to act as a bulwark against a federal committee bearing a similar name and its new members who believe…
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Kennedy announces new vaccine advisory committee members after meeting rescheduled
Kennedy announces new vaccine advisory committee members after meeting rescheduled WASHINGTON — Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced two new members of his handpicked panel of vaccine advisers on Friday, ahead of a meeting rescheduled for March. Kennedy said in a statement that Sean G. Downing, a primary care doctor licensed in Florida, and…
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STAT+: Trump most-favored nation drug pricing deals end after three years for some companies
STAT+: Trump most-favored nation drug pricing deals end after three years for some companies WASHINGTON — President Trump often brags that the “most-favored nation” deals he struck with drugmakers have set the country on a new path to no longer paying more than its fair share for prescription drug costs. But many details of the…
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Opinion: Former surgeon general: The Senate must not approve someone who can’t practice medicine as the nation’s top doctor
Opinion: Former surgeon general: The Senate must not approve someone who can’t practice medicine as the nation’s top doctor Eight years ago, I sat before the Senate for my confirmation hearing to be surgeon general. Republican Todd Young (Ind.) and Democrat Joe Donnelly (Ind.) introduced me, and I was confirmed unanimously. That bipartisan support reflected…
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CMS announces pause on new durable medical equipment suppliers
CMS announces pause on new durable medical equipment suppliers The Trump administration announced Wednesday a nationwide moratorium on new suppliers for certain medical equipment, citing a need to get a handle on the “fraud, waste, and abuse” in the industry that provides wheelchairs, artificial limbs and other equipment. “The amount of fraud is so massive…
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STAT+: HHS adviser hopes prior authorization reform happens in ‘double-digit months,’ not years
STAT+: HHS adviser hopes prior authorization reform happens in ‘double-digit months,’ not years WASHINGTON — A top U.S. health official told a room full of doctors on Wednesday that he hopes the Trump administration’s efforts to whittle down the insurance industry’s use of prior authorizations will produce results “in double-digit months” instead of years, calling…
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Surgeon general nominee and senator face off over vaccines and ‘shared decision-making’
Surgeon general nominee and senator face off over vaccines and ‘shared decision-making’ An eight-minute exchange at the end of Casey Means’ two-hour confirmation hearing captured the potential and the predicament the MAHA movement has created for itself. Means, an entrepreneurial wellness influencer with a medical degree from Stanford, appeared on Wednesday at the Senate health…
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Casey Means, a MAHA leader, makes bid to be nation’s top doctor
Casey Means, a MAHA leader, makes bid to be nation’s top doctor The Make America Healthy Again movement, which has turned dissatisfaction with mainstream medicine into a disruptive political movement, was poised on Wednesday to put one of its leading figures, Casey Means, at the top of the U.S. medical system. Means, an entrepreneurial wellness…
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STAT+: Drugmakers lay out their legal arguments against Trump’s drug pricing experiments
STAT+: Drugmakers lay out their legal arguments against Trump’s drug pricing experiments WASHINGTON — The pharmaceutical and biotech industries are pushing back against two Trump administration proposals that would test plans to lower drug prices in Medicare by aligning them with the prices paid in other rich countries. Their comments preview arguments that they might…
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STAT+: FDA unveils rules for bespoke gene therapies, predicting flood of rare disease applications
STAT+: FDA unveils rules for bespoke gene therapies, predicting flood of rare disease applications The Trump administration on Monday released detailed guidance for approving the first bespoke medicines crafted to treat patients’ individual mutations. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Marty Makary and biologics chief Vinay Prasad had already previewed the new approach, known as the plausible mechanism…
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Ralph Abraham, No. 2 official at CDC, abruptly steps down
Ralph Abraham, No. 2 official at CDC, abruptly steps down The drama and chaos surrounding the leadership of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have taken another twist, with the announcement Monday that the agency’s No. 2 official, Ralph Abraham, has resigned. A statement posted to the CDC’s website said Abraham, a former Louisiana…
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STAT+: DOJ, Ohio attorney general accuse OhioHealth of driving up prices, crowding out competition
STAT+: DOJ, Ohio attorney general accuse OhioHealth of driving up prices, crowding out competition OhioHealth is the latest nonprofit health system to find itself in the government’s crosshairs for allegedly using its market power to suppress competition and drive up costs. The Department of Justice and Ohio’s attorney general filed a civil antitrust lawsuit against…
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STAT+: In first speech to her FDA staff, Høeg says she’ll scrutinize RSV shots and SSRIs in pregnancy
STAT+: In first speech to her FDA staff, Høeg says she’ll scrutinize RSV shots and SSRIs in pregnancy WASHINGTON — Tracy Beth Høeg, the top drug regulator at the Food and Drug Administration, indicated in her first address to staff that she’ll scrutinize antidepressants and the shots used to protect babies from RSV. Høeg told…
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STAT+: The federal directory of doctors and hospitals is coming this year
STAT+: The federal directory of doctors and hospitals is coming this year After years of grand ambitions, the federal government disclosed that it is months away from rolling out a centralized list of doctors and hospitals filled with up-to-date contact and insurance information. Details of how the national provider directory will work are scant —…
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STAT+: FDA taps AI executive to lead digital health center
STAT+: FDA taps AI executive to lead digital health center The Food and Drug Administration has tapped a former executive from a health artificial intelligence company to lead its digital health center. Rick Abramson, formerly a chief medical officer at a subsidiary of Harrison.ai, which develops AI products to interpret radiological images, is the new…
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STAT+: NIH Director Bhattacharya to lead CDC after O’Neill’s exit
STAT+: NIH Director Bhattacharya to lead CDC after O’Neill’s exit WASHINGTON — National Institutes of Health Director Jay Bhattacharya will take on leadership of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on an acting basis, an administration official not authorized to speak publicly confirmed to STAT. Bhattacharya is taking the role after the previous acting…
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STAT+: Medicare Advantage growth dwindles for a second straight year
STAT+: Medicare Advantage growth dwindles for a second straight year The Medicare Advantage program continues to bring in more older adults and people with disabilities, but not nearly at the same rates from just a few years ago. Almost 35.5 million people were enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan as of Feb. 1, up roughly…
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STAT+: Kennedy says he’ll act on legal challenge to ultra-processed foods
STAT+: Kennedy says he’ll act on legal challenge to ultra-processed foods Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. fired the starting gun in a challenge to the food industry on Sunday, announcing on CBS’ “60 Minutes” that he plans to act on a plan outlined by former Food and Drug Administration chief David Kessler to overhaul…
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STAT+: Exit of CDC’s acting director highlights agency’s lack of leader
STAT+: Exit of CDC’s acting director highlights agency’s lack of leader For 28 days last summer, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had a director who had been confirmed by the Senate. But in less time than it took Susan Monarez to get approved, she was fired for not kowtowing to her boss, Robert…
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STAT+: In court, AAP argues Kennedy’s HHS made unlawful changes to vaccine policies
STAT+: In court, AAP argues Kennedy’s HHS made unlawful changes to vaccine policies BOSTON — After a full day of oral arguments in a packed courtroom, Boston federal judge Brian E. Murphy did not rule from the bench on a lawsuit from the American Academy of Pediatrics, the professional body representing the country’s pediatricians, against…
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Major shakeup underway at HHS as White House braces for midterms
Major shakeup underway at HHS as White House braces for midterms WASHINGTON — Two top health officials are leaving their jobs amid a shakeup at the Department of Health and Human Services aimed at refocusing HHS on politically popular aspects of health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s agenda in advance of the midterm elections. Deputy…
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STAT+: FDA’s rejection of Moderna threatens to stifle broader vaccine industry
STAT+: FDA’s rejection of Moderna threatens to stifle broader vaccine industry The Food and Drug Administration’s refusal to review Moderna’s flu vaccine this month has renewed fears that Trump administration policies could paralyze the vaccine industry, dissuading companies from developing new shots in the U.S. and leaving the country flat-footed in the event of future…
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STAT+: The messaging war over Medicaid cuts
STAT+: The messaging war over Medicaid cuts You’re reading the web edition of D.C. Diagnosis, STAT’s twice-weekly newsletter about the politics and policy of health and medicine. Sign up here to receive it in your inbox on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Dr. Oz seems to have invited Jeffrey Epstein to a Valentine’s Day party in 2016, about eight…
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STAT+: Trump officials push for skimpier coverage in ACA marketplaces
STAT+: Trump officials push for skimpier coverage in ACA marketplaces Trump health officials are proposing changes that would water down the options for people who buy their own health insurance through Affordable Care Act marketplaces. The proposals, released this week and which would go into effect in 2027, prioritize making ACA premiums as low as…
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STAT+: As Republicans face attacks for cutting Medicaid funding, Dr. Oz blames states with big cities
STAT+: As Republicans face attacks for cutting Medicaid funding, Dr. Oz blames states with big cities The Trump administration is reframing the steep Medicaid cuts in Republicans’ tax bill to pit states with large urban centers against those with large rural populations. Last year, Republicans passed Trump’s signature legislative accomplishment, a bill that partially offset…
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We tested the government’s official new AI nutrition tool: Grok
We tested the government’s official new AI nutrition tool: Grok How trustworthy is the new U.S. food pyramid? It’s a mixed bag, according to the government website devoted to that pyramid. Kyle Diamantas, head of the Human Foods Program at the Food and Drug Administration, alerted the public this week to a generative artificial intelligence…
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STAT+: FDA refuses to review Moderna’s influenza vaccine
STAT+: FDA refuses to review Moderna’s influenza vaccine The Food and Drug Administration refused to review Moderna’s application for a new influenza vaccine, the company said Tuesday, a surprise decision that could raise concerns about the agency’s posture toward drug companies and the Trump administration’s policies on vaccines. Moderna, revealing the rejection, took the unusual…
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Landmark settlement could create new protections for harm reduction under disability law
Landmark settlement could create new protections for harm reduction under disability law A Christian group in Washington state on Tuesday announced a potentially landmark legal settlement that could establish new legal protections for harm reduction services for people experiencing drug addiction, including syringe exchange, under the Americans with Disabilities Act. The ADA has previously been…
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STAT+: TrumpRx: Hype or real savings?
STAT+: TrumpRx: Hype or real savings? You’re reading the web edition of D.C. Diagnosis, STAT’s twice-weekly newsletter about the politics and policy of health and medicine. Sign up here to receive it in your inbox on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Did you snack on HHS-approved MAHA-mole while shaking to Bad Bunny’s Spanish-language celebration of Puerto Rican and Latin…
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Scientists worry finalizing ‘Schedule F’ rule will further politicize NIH grant decisions
Scientists worry finalizing ‘Schedule F’ rule will further politicize NIH grant decisions The Trump administration is moving forward with a personnel rule that critics say will subject a broader swath of the federal workforce to political pressure, raising concerns that the change could deter accomplished scientists from joining the federal workforce and give political appointees…
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STAT+: TrumpRx claims to offer the lowest prices. But many drugs have cheaper generics
STAT+: TrumpRx claims to offer the lowest prices. But many drugs have cheaper generics WASHINGTON — President Trump said the administration’s new TrumpRx website will offer the cheapest prices in the world for 43 brand-name drugs, and counting. But about half of them are already available as generics, usually for much less. The website is…
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STAT+: White House looks for more drug pricing deals to add to TrumpRx
STAT+: White House looks for more drug pricing deals to add to TrumpRx WASHINGTON — After striking 16 deals with pharmaceutical giants and launching a direct-to-consumer drug purchasing platform, the Trump administration is looking to expand its efforts to lower drug prices to more companies. Federal officials on Thursday unveiled the administration’s TrumpRx drug purchasing…
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STAT+: ‘Moonshot’ agency ARPA-H lays off staff meant to commercialize breakthroughs
STAT+: ‘Moonshot’ agency ARPA-H lays off staff meant to commercialize breakthroughs ARPA-H, the “moonshot” biomedical agency established under the Biden administration, laid off staff last week, according to two people familiar with the matter. The cuts largely hit staff responsible for operations and for commercializing the technologies the agency supports, the people said, leaving scientific…
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Amid federal pressure, more hospitals stop gender-affirming care for minors
Amid federal pressure, more hospitals stop gender-affirming care for minors At least nine hospitals or health systems have stopped providing gender-affirming hormones and puberty blockers to young trans people since the start of the year, in the wake of federal rules proposed in December that would withhold Medicare and Medicaid funding from clinics that continue…
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What to know about TrumpRx, the Trump administration’s prescription drug platform
What to know about TrumpRx, the Trump administration’s prescription drug platform President Trump on Thursday night is planning to announce the launch of TrumpRx, the website that he and his aides have touted for months as a platform aimed at lowering prescription drug prices. The website, which uses technology from health care company GoodRx, is…
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New PBM law could open door to direct sales between employers, drugmakers
New PBM law could open door to direct sales between employers, drugmakers WASHINGTON — The pharmacy benefit manager reforms that President Trump signed into law on Tuesday could lead to employers buying drugs directly from drugmakers, just like the administration is encouraging individual consumers to do through its pending website TrumpRx. The PBM reforms are…
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Plastic surgeons society recommends delaying gender-affirming procedures until age 19
Plastic surgeons society recommends delaying gender-affirming procedures until age 19 WASHINGTON — The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) recommends that gender-affirming surgeries be delayed until a patient is at least 19 years old, the group announced in a statement Tuesday. The statement, made by the group’s board of directors, represents a break from major…
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STAT+: FDA Commissioner Marty Makary tries to soothe staff concerns over voucher program
STAT+: FDA Commissioner Marty Makary tries to soothe staff concerns over voucher program WASHINGTON — At an employee town hall on Tuesday, Food and Drug Administration leaders tried to quell staff and external concerns about a controversial new program to fast-track certain drugs. “This pilot is an effort to make our review processes patient-centric,” said…
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To fix ‘spiritual malaise’ behind addiction, Kennedy announces efforts on homelessness and recovery
To fix ‘spiritual malaise’ behind addiction, Kennedy announces efforts on homelessness and recovery Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Monday lamented a nationwide “spiritual malaise” as he unveiled new plans to tackle the nation’s addiction and substance use epidemic, casting the initiative as a game-changing effort to align government and recovery organizations. The announcement…
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STAT+: New rule would force PBMs to disclose drug rebates and other fees
STAT+: New rule would force PBMs to disclose drug rebates and other fees Pharmacy benefit managers face new, sweeping requirements to disclose all the different ways they get money from providing drug coverage. The proposed rule from the Department of Labor published on Thursday would be a significant change for an industry that shields prescription…
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Newsom files a civil rights complaint against CMS’ Oz in latest feud with the Trump administration
Newsom files a civil rights complaint against CMS’ Oz in latest feud with the Trump administration LOS ANGELES — California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office is demanding a civil rights investigation of Dr. Mehmet Oz, saying he discriminated against Armenians in a video claiming hospice fraud in Los Angeles, the latest front in the state’s ongoing battle with the…
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STAT+: Trump’s latest deal: $600 million of tech company discounts to help implement Medicaid work requirements
STAT+: Trump’s latest deal: $600 million of tech company discounts to help implement Medicaid work requirements Ten technology vendors are offering $600 million worth of discounts to states that pick them to help implement Medicaid work requirements, the Trump administration announced Thursday, signaling how lucrative they think the sweeping change could be. Mehmet Oz, administrator…
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STAT+: States are the next vaccine battleground
STAT+: States are the next vaccine battleground You’re reading the web edition of D.C. Diagnosis, STAT’s twice-weekly newsletter about the politics and policy of health and medicine. Sign up here to receive it in your inbox on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I’d call it a xeet-down, but I can’t tell who won this heated exchange on X between…
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STAT+: Senators raise concerns about TrumpRx in letter to HHS watchdog
STAT+: Senators raise concerns about TrumpRx in letter to HHS watchdog The Trump administration soon plans to launch TrumpRx, a website it says will allow patients to buy prescription drugs directly from pharmaceutical companies at a discount. Over several months, the administration has made deals with more than a dozen pharmaceutical manufacturers to expand access…
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STAT+: Trump administration signals there’s widespread desire to curb Medicare Advantage
STAT+: Trump administration signals there’s widespread desire to curb Medicare Advantage Health insurers have endured a litany of problems with Medicare Advantage over the past three years. They were optimistic things would turn around with the Trump administration in charge. Tough luck, for now. The administration stunned Medicare Advantage insurers and their investors by proposing…
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HHS appoints 21 new members to federal autism advisory committee
HHS appoints 21 new members to federal autism advisory committee The Department of Health and Human Services on Wednesday announced the appointment of 21 new members to a federal committee that advises health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on autism. Many of the new members of the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee share a common trait:…
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STAT+: HCA expects $1 billion hit from loss of ACA tax credits, Medicaid changes
STAT+: HCA expects $1 billion hit from loss of ACA tax credits, Medicaid changes The country’s biggest hospital chain outlined Tuesday what could be a more than $1 billion hit to profit this year from the expiration of federal tax credits and changes to Medicaid payment programs. For many other companies, it’d be a catastrophic…
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STAT+: UnitedHealth limps into 2026 with a smaller business and fresh challenges
STAT+: UnitedHealth limps into 2026 with a smaller business and fresh challenges UnitedHealth Group enters 2026 limping financially after one of the most turbulent years in the company’s history, but executives at the health insurance and services giant made it clear they will cut their way to higher profits. On Tuesday, UnitedHealth said revenue would…
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STAT+: HHS spending bill caught up in ICE debate
STAT+: HHS spending bill caught up in ICE debate You’re reading the web edition of D.C. Diagnosis, STAT’s twice-weekly newsletter about the politics and policy of health and medicine. Sign up here to receive it in your inbox on Tuesdays and Thursdays. To those in the path of this winter storm: Are you rethinking dry January yet?…
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STAT+: Trump administration proposes tiny pay raise to 2027 Medicare Advantage plans
STAT+: Trump administration proposes tiny pay raise to 2027 Medicare Advantage plans The Trump administration plans to increase payments to next year’s Medicare Advantage plans by less than 0.1% on average — far below what the industry had expected. Several Wall Street analysts expected pay increases of 4%-6%, but a crucial measure of Medicare spending…
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CDC pauses billions in public health infrastructure grants to states
CDC pauses billions in public health infrastructure grants to states WASHINGTON — Federal officials have paused more than 100 grants totaling over $5 billion awarded to states to bolster their public health infrastructure. States and organizations that had gotten funding through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s public health infrastructure grant received notices on…
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Key autism committee is being reshaped to support Kennedy’s vaccine agenda, researchers and advocates fear
Key autism committee is being reshaped to support Kennedy’s vaccine agenda, researchers and advocates fear An influential federal committee that advises the health secretary on all things autism and shapes federally funded autism research and support services held an orientation Thursday for new nonfederal members, according to two sources familiar with the meeting. It was…
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STAT+: Unfilled vacancies have depleted NIH advisory councils, key players in grant approvals
STAT+: Unfilled vacancies have depleted NIH advisory councils, key players in grant approvals Since President Trump took office last January, only one new member has been added to the NIH advisory councils, key panels that make final recommendations on what research to fund at universities and medical centers, depleting their ranks as current members’ terms…
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Trump administration halts use of human fetal tissue in NIH-funded research
Trump administration halts use of human fetal tissue in NIH-funded research The Trump administration announced Thursday that human fetal tissue derived from abortions can no longer be used in research funded by the National Institutes of Health. The policy, long urged by anti-abortion groups, expands restrictions issued during President Donald Trump’s first term. Read the rest… Associated…
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STAT+: Health insurance execs shift blame for costly, confusing health care system
STAT+: Health insurance execs shift blame for costly, confusing health care system Health insurance executives agree that the U.S. health care system is overpriced, wasteful, and confusing. And they also agree that those problems are someone else’s fault. On Thursday, the CEOs of America’s largest health insurance companies appeared before Congress to both justify their…
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STAT+: House and Senate appropriators endorse NIH budget increase, reject Trump’s proposed cuts
STAT+: House and Senate appropriators endorse NIH budget increase, reject Trump’s proposed cuts Congressional appropriations committees offered a near-total rebuke of President Trump’s proposed downsizing and reshaping of the National Institutes of Health in their spending bill for the 2026 fiscal year. In a compromise bill released Tuesday, Congress set NIH’s budget at $48.7 billion,…
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STAT+: What’s in Congress’ sweeping health care deal: PBM reform, telehealth, science funding
STAT+: What’s in Congress’ sweeping health care deal: PBM reform, telehealth, science funding WASHINGTON — Congress has reached a deal on several health care policies, including a crackdown on drug-industry middlemen, transparency measures for hospital billing, pediatric cancer research measures, and Medicare coverage of multi-cancer screening tests. Those measures are part of a bill to…
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Tylenol use during pregnancy not linked to autism, new study says
Tylenol use during pregnancy not linked to autism, new study says Acetaminophen use during pregnancy is not likely to raise the risk of having a child with autism, ADHD, or intellectual disability, according to a new study published Friday. Researchers across Europe reexamined evidence from multiple studies investigating the link between these conditions and the…
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STAT+: Behind new dietary guidelines: Industry-funded studies, opaque science, crushing deadline pressure
STAT+: Behind new dietary guidelines: Industry-funded studies, opaque science, crushing deadline pressure WASHINGTON — In early May, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had good news for the President: updated dietary guidelines, which were due at the end of 2025, would be delivered ahead of schedule. “We are working very, very fast…
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STAT+: Limit on multiyear funding of NIH grants is a sticking point in Senate budget talks
STAT+: Limit on multiyear funding of NIH grants is a sticking point in Senate budget talks Last year, the country’s biomedical researchers watched with apprehension as the National Institutes of Health’s grant awards lagged billions of dollars behind the pace of previous years. Fears grew that the Trump administration would impound funds appropriated by Congress…
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STAT+: Trump releases health care plan amid pressure over affordability
STAT+: Trump releases health care plan amid pressure over affordability WASHINGTON — President Trump on Thursday released a hodgepodge of health care policies that would create new price-control power over pharmaceutical companies, but that otherwise wouldn’t fundamentally overhaul America’s existing system, as he faces mounting pressure to address the cost of insurance and care. The…
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STAT+: Negotiations over ACA subsidy bill drag on
STAT+: Negotiations over ACA subsidy bill drag on You’re reading the web edition of D.C. Diagnosis, STAT’s twice-weekly newsletter about the politics and policy of health and medicine. Sign up here to receive it in your inbox on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Inspirational scribbles from baristas have never inspired me, but HHS Deputy Secretary Jim O’Neill was moved…
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Trump administration cuts up to $1.9 billion from mental health and addiction treatment programs
Trump administration cuts up to $1.9 billion from mental health and addiction treatment programs The federal agency that oversees mental health and addiction treatment on Tuesday made major cuts to programs across the behavioral health field, according to eight sources with knowledge of the decisions. While the exact funding cuts enacted by the Substance Abuse…
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Kennedy adds two OB-GYNs to vaccine advisory panel amid review of shots for pregnant women
Kennedy adds two OB-GYNs to vaccine advisory panel amid review of shots for pregnant women WASHINGTON — Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. appointed two new members to the main federal vaccine advisory board, his latest change to a group that has made a series of controversial recommendations and upended the usual processes for vaccine…
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STAT+: HHS dismisses member of vaccine injury advisory panel
STAT+: HHS dismisses member of vaccine injury advisory panel WASHINGTON — At least one member of a committee that advises the federal government on its vaccine injury compensation program has had her term prematurely ended, potentially foreshadowing further changes to the federal apparatus that reviews vaccine injuries and compensates patients. Veronica McNally, an attorney who…
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STAT+: UnitedHealth has turned Medicare Advantage coding into ‘profit-centered strategy,’ Senate report finds
STAT+: UnitedHealth has turned Medicare Advantage coding into ‘profit-centered strategy,’ Senate report finds UnitedHealth Group’s colossal size has helped the conglomerate turn the way patients are coded in the Medicare Advantage program into “a major profit-centered strategy, which was not the original intent of the program,” according to a new report released Monday from the…
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STAT+: House passes ACA subsidy extension as bipartisan negotiations heat up in Senate
STAT+: House passes ACA subsidy extension as bipartisan negotiations heat up in Senate WASHINGTON — The House voted 230 to 196 to pass a three-year extension of enhanced Affordable Care Act premium subsidies, with 17 Republicans joining all Democrats in favor. Five Republicans did not vote. That the House considered the matter at all shows…
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How saturated fats lost, and won, on new food pyramid
How saturated fats lost, and won, on new food pyramid For months, nutrition experts have been anxiously waiting to see whether the new U.S. dietary guidelines would follow through on health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s pledge to end the war on saturated fat. The guidelines’ longstanding recommendation to cap saturated fat consumption at 10%…
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Dietary guidelines declare war on processed foods and sugar, encourage more protein and dairy
Dietary guidelines declare war on processed foods and sugar, encourage more protein and dairy The Trump administration on Wednesday issued a long-promised revamp of national dietary guidelines, urging Americans to eat more protein and less added sugar and, for the first time, discouraging consumption of highly processed foods. The guidelines, despite widespread expectations, do not…
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STAT+: Panel behind new dietary guidelines had financial ties to beef, dairy industries
STAT+: Panel behind new dietary guidelines had financial ties to beef, dairy industries A group of researchers that formed the scientific basis of new dietary guidelines included people with financial ties to the beef and dairy industries, as well as food companies and other groups. Meat and dairy products received prime placement in new dietary…
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STAT+: FDA announces sweeping changes to oversight of wearables, AI-enabled devices
STAT+: FDA announces sweeping changes to oversight of wearables, AI-enabled devices LAS VEGAS — The Food and Drug Administration announced Tuesday that it will ease regulation of digital health products, following through on the Trump administration’s promises to deregulate artificial intelligence and promote its widespread use. FDA Commissioner Marty Makary indicated that one of the…
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New vaccine schedule adds near- and long-term risks for children, experts warn
New vaccine schedule adds near- and long-term risks for children, experts warn WASHINGTON — When Robert F. Kennedy Jr. assumed the role of health secretary almost one year ago, he said he had one overriding goal: to improve children’s health. But Kennedy’s sudden, unilateral, and sweeping change to the nation’s childhood vaccine schedule, announced Monday,…
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STAT+: HHS slashes vaccine recommendations
STAT+: HHS slashes vaccine recommendations You’re reading the web edition of D.C. Diagnosis, STAT’s twice-weekly newsletter about the politics and policy of health and medicine. Sign up here to receive it in your inbox on Tuesdays and Thursdays. We’re almost healthy again, according to RFK Jr., though I’m certainly not in top form after my holiday break.…
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Trump tells Republicans to be ‘flexible’ on abortion restrictions to get a health care deal
Trump tells Republicans to be ‘flexible’ on abortion restrictions to get a health care deal President Donald Trump said Tuesday he wants Republicans to reach a deal on health care insurance assistance by being willing to bend on a 50-year-old budget policy that bars federal money from being spent on abortion services. “You have to be a little…
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Federal health officials slash recommended childhood vaccinations under Trump’s directive
Federal health officials slash recommended childhood vaccinations under Trump’s directive WASHINGTON — Federal health officials are unilaterally reducing the number of recommended pediatric immunizations in response to an order from President Trump, the most significant reshaping of the vaccine schedule since Trump took office and empowered health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a longtime critic…
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NIH director says DEI-related grants that were restored under a court order won’t be renewed
NIH director says DEI-related grants that were restored under a court order won’t be renewed Throughout the year, researchers have been heartened by legal decisions pushing back on directives from the National Institutes of Health to halt and deprioritize work it deems related to diversity, equity, and inclusion. In June, two suits filed against the…
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NIH begins review of thousands of delayed research proposals, funding 135 on first day
NIH begins review of thousands of delayed research proposals, funding 135 on first day A deal between the federal government and groups that sued the Trump administration over National Institutes of Health research grant proposals consigned to bureaucratic limbo because of anti-DEI policies is already bearing fruit. The agreement, which was reached Monday, came with…
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Trump administration agrees to reconsider frozen and denied NIH grant submissions related to DEI
Trump administration agrees to reconsider frozen and denied NIH grant submissions related to DEI The Trump administration has reached an agreement to reevaluate research projects left in bureaucratic limbo while a lawsuit over the termination of thousands of grants from the National Institutes of Health moves through the courts. The decision caps off a tumultuous…
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STAT+: Three major health care policy issues to watch in 2026
STAT+: Three major health care policy issues to watch in 2026 WASHINGTON — Health care figured prominently in the first year of President Trump’s second term, and it’ll likely play an even bigger role leading up to the 2026 midterm elections. The shift back to health care politics has been somewhat surprising. Although Republicans were…
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STAT+: CMS divvies up first payments from $50B rural health fund, with an eye toward MAHA goals
STAT+: CMS divvies up first payments from $50B rural health fund, with an eye toward MAHA goals WASHINGTON — The Trump administration on Monday announced the distribution of the first payments from a new $50 billion rural health fund — but not all states are getting equal payouts. The administration is giving larger awards to…
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In 2026, Kennedy’s MAHA vision gets put to the test. Here are 3 issues to watch
In 2026, Kennedy’s MAHA vision gets put to the test. Here are 3 issues to watch In many ways, it’s been a banner year for chronic disease. America’s enduring ailments became a central theme of the Trump administration, with health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. wielding his influence over the president. Trump created a commission…
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STAT+: Director of NIH neurological disorders institute is ousted, adding to leadership churn
STAT+: Director of NIH neurological disorders institute is ousted, adding to leadership churn Walter Koroshetz, director of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, will soon be leaving his role, STAT has learned. His departure in the coming days means nearly half the 27 NIH divisions will have interim leaders. Koroshetz sent an email…
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Best of STAT 2025
Best of STAT 2025 What a year! Yes, it was our 10th anniversary, but it also brought an unprecedented blizzard of news, and while we weren’t added to a Signal chat on war plans, we did have a giant health insurer email us internal strategy documents by mistake. Our coverage featured everything from a piece…
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3 drug policy questions to watch in 2026
3 drug policy questions to watch in 2026 Drug policy was largely a backburner issue in 2025. Despite the ambitions of some moderate or right-leaning activists, and an apparent passion for the issue from health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., substance use and addiction issues have made few headlines in the past year. Read the…
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STAT+: The 3 biggest issues to watch in vaccine policy in 2026
STAT+: The 3 biggest issues to watch in vaccine policy in 2026 WASHINGTON — Vaccine policy has become a key issue for the Trump administration, especially under the leadership of health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who himself once led an anti-vaccine group. In less than a year, Kennedy has bulldozed vaccine policy precedent and…
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STAT+: Trump moves to require lower drug prices in Medicare
STAT+: Trump moves to require lower drug prices in Medicare You’re reading the web edition of D.C. Diagnosis, STAT’s twice-weekly newsletter about the politics and policy of health and medicine. Sign up here to receive it in your inbox on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The NIH director did the Pete & Bobby fitness challenge, but I didn’t see…
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STAT+: Major pharma companies may avoid Medicare experiments’ forced price cuts
STAT+: Major pharma companies may avoid Medicare experiments’ forced price cuts Many of the largest drugmakers may be exempt from Medicare pilot programs intended to force them to lower some of their prices, potentially undermining the effort and depriving American patients of cheaper drugs. Several of the 14 pharmaceutical companies that have struck individual drug-pricing…
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Trump administration’s plan to shrink vaccine schedule sends health sector scrambling
Trump administration’s plan to shrink vaccine schedule sends health sector scrambling WASHINGTON — A possible Trump administration effort to change the childhood vaccine schedule has left hospital leaders, health policymakers, and pediatricians scrambling to navigate what could be the most significant changes to the American vaccine program in decades. The administration had planned to announce…
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STAT+: Trump administration proposes Medicare pilots to lower drug prices on par with peer countries
STAT+: Trump administration proposes Medicare pilots to lower drug prices on par with peer countries WASHINGTON — The Trump administration proposed two Medicare pilot programs to reduce prices for branded drugs bought at pharmacy counters and administered in doctor offices. If the administration moves forward, the programs could slash Medicare spending on prescription drugs by…
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STAT+: Pharmaceutical industry evades drug price transparency, again
STAT+: Pharmaceutical industry evades drug price transparency, again Drug manufacturers and pharmacy benefit managers received a holiday gift from President Trump on Friday: They still will not have to publicly post the actual prices of prescription drugs, more than five years after federal law required them to do so. Net drug prices — the amounts…